29-10-2015, 15:46
Academy were the team my Grandad used to take me to watch when I was a boy, back when they played in the North Highland League (which became the North Caledonian League), the level below Highland League. They're my local team, although I'm 20 miles away on the north coast.
The Harmsworth is where I learned about football - watching legends like Wille Wydmuch and Pattie Miller and the mercurial 'Zekie' Munro tearing up the wings. Magic days. I still stand at the same spot on the railing where my Grandad used to prop his message bike every time I revisit the old ground, even though they've put the damned away stand over there now.
The difference between those old days and now is like night and day though - back then there'd be me, my cousin and our Grandad and maybe ten others in the ground for a Saturday league game. Now there's all-seater stands installed, hot pies at half time and crowds of two or three hundred every game. There's even a reasonable atmosphere, club songs and chants and the occasional dust-up with Brora fans at the yearly Festive derby matches.
It's been a great success story and the club now is a real focal hub of the community.
Of course, this was all made possible because of the amalgamation of Inverness Caley and Inverness Thistle to make ICT, and them and Ross County joining the senior leagues leaving an empty space for Wick Academy, taking the league back up to an even 16 teams.
I've been lucky enough to play - just the once - at the Harmsworth, as a 15yo for Thurso Swifts against Wick Groats in the county league. The old message bike was in it's usual place, and I came on as a sub and put the cross in for Jimmy Canavan to score the winner in a 2-1 win. Proudest moment of my young life, playing in front of my Grandad at the Harmsworth.
F*ck me, where has that 32 years gone. . .?
The Harmsworth is where I learned about football - watching legends like Wille Wydmuch and Pattie Miller and the mercurial 'Zekie' Munro tearing up the wings. Magic days. I still stand at the same spot on the railing where my Grandad used to prop his message bike every time I revisit the old ground, even though they've put the damned away stand over there now.
The difference between those old days and now is like night and day though - back then there'd be me, my cousin and our Grandad and maybe ten others in the ground for a Saturday league game. Now there's all-seater stands installed, hot pies at half time and crowds of two or three hundred every game. There's even a reasonable atmosphere, club songs and chants and the occasional dust-up with Brora fans at the yearly Festive derby matches.
It's been a great success story and the club now is a real focal hub of the community.
Of course, this was all made possible because of the amalgamation of Inverness Caley and Inverness Thistle to make ICT, and them and Ross County joining the senior leagues leaving an empty space for Wick Academy, taking the league back up to an even 16 teams.
I've been lucky enough to play - just the once - at the Harmsworth, as a 15yo for Thurso Swifts against Wick Groats in the county league. The old message bike was in it's usual place, and I came on as a sub and put the cross in for Jimmy Canavan to score the winner in a 2-1 win. Proudest moment of my young life, playing in front of my Grandad at the Harmsworth.
F*ck me, where has that 32 years gone. . .?